November 25, 2016 Coats Museum NewsIt was Thanksgiving season and likely folks were celebrating with turkey and all the fixings; however, C.M. Stewart of Coats was serving as best man in the wedding of Miss Carolyn Capps of Erwin to William Edward Stone of Durham which took place on Thanksgiving Day.Other activities recorded in the news were that the Turlington HD Club had met with Mrs. Zola Roberts as hostess. Evangeline Stewart and her friend, Ed Harris of Charlotte, had visited her mom, Mrs. Henry Stewart. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Penny and Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Stewart had made a tour through South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee visiting friends and relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Stewart and Mrs. A.T. Avery and Reece had taken a trip to the mountains. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Penny, Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. Mack Mitchell had traveled to the mountains going up the Skyland Drive (DailyRecord Nov. 18, 1960).Who had won the Miss Coats High title of 1961? Pat Collier was crowned before 500 people in the Coats High School auditorium. Elsewhere Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy James announced the arrival of Willis Maurice on November 19. The mother was the former Hilda Grace McLamb. Another couple welcomed a son at Good Hope Hospital. Mrs. Faircloth was the former Gladys Denton. Helen Sears Pope and Tommy Pope announced the birth of a daughter (Daily Record Nov. 21, 1960).Christmas was only 4 weeks away and fruitcakes were selling for $3.00 for 5 pounds (Daily Record Nov. 20, 1960). Mrs. Billy Ray Messer, Master Johnny McLamb, and Mrs. Margaret Pope were patients at Betsy Johnson Hospital (Daily Record Nov. 21, 1960).The Oakdale HD Club observed their November meeting at the home of Mrs. Naomi Hudson who served as hostess while Mrs. Kirk Ennis was welcomed as a new member (Daily Record Nov. 23, 1960).The death angel made a visit to the Benson area and took Joseph Ira Mitchell, 52, the son of Mrs. Rena Mitchell of Coats (Daily Record Nov. 24, 1960).President –elect and Mrs. John F. Kennedy were proud parents of a son but the J. Allison Langdon family was mourning his death at age 77. He had died at Rex Hospital. His wife, Alice Langdon, had died on August 31st. His children were Roy, Merchant, Lee, Edwin D., J.A., Jr., Mrs. Mavis Hayes, Mrs. Elsie Barnes, Mrs. Ruth Barefoot, and Mrs. Josephine Bullard. Mrs. Eddie L. Parrish, Mrs. R.M. Pleasant, and Mrs. M.B. Pleasant were his sisters (Daily Record Nov. 25, 1960).Death entrenched itself in the Grove area for it was announced that Mrs. John G. Weaver of Angier had died in Good Hope Hospital on Friday. Her sister was Mrs. Willie Wood of Coats. Mrs. Henrietta Hayes Ivey, 73, had died on Sunday morning. Does anyone know her relatives? I do know that Mrs. Ethel Ennis was at Betsy Johnson Hospital while Mrs. Doris Weaver was in Good Hope.Question—does anyone know what business Mr. Willie Wood operated in the early days of Coats and who his daughter was? Maybe some of you remember James Hubert Stewart, 45, a native of Coats who had died at Good Hope Hospital from a heart attack. He had been a mechanic in a Coats body shop. His mother was Mrs. Martha Johnson Stewart; wife was Juanita Avery Stewart; four sons were Edward Lewis, Charles Richard, James Robert, and Billy Ray.On a happier note about 200 family and friends had attended the Golden Anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Williams (Daily Record Nov. 29, 1960).The Coats Community Building was a happy place when the descendants of Claude D. and Julia C. Stewart met for a family reunion which had lasted all day Thursday. All nine of their children with their families had attended. Henry C., Guy, Latta, Callie Brown, Herbert, Alfred, Worth, Victor, and Mamie Fish were the children. How I wish all those nine children could see their dad’s principal’s desk that Latta’s daughter, Dorothea Stewart Gilbert, gave to the museum. It was the only thing saved when the Grove #1 Ennis School burned. Dorothea had used it in her office while she was an English professor at Campbell University (Daily Record Nov. 30, 1960).The same issue of the Daily Record recorded that the Wade Norris farm (28.8 acres) was up for auction on December 3rd by Johnson and Norris.The news in the Dec. 1, 1960 copy of the Daily Record shared that little Johnny Denton was a patient at Good Hope Hospital. The Dec. 5th edition wrote that the Coats Jaycees had held their Christmas Party on Saturday night at Luke’s BBQ in Coats. Durwood Adams had received the trophy for Jaycee of the Month for his outstanding work on the turkey shoot at the fair. Fifty-four guests attended.Herbert Johnson and J.D. Norris auctioned off the Cornelius Harnett Boarding Home, formerly known as the county home, for $53,100. High bidders were Mr. and Mrs. John Mason who planned to continue to operate it as a boarding home. Was that a bundle of money in 1960? I do know that one could purchase a 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible for $2595.00 (Daily Record Dec. 6, 1960).One has only to read the date to know Christmas is fast approaching, but the families of Mrs. Betty Gregory, Mrs. Bessie Faircloth, Mrs. David Byrd and Mrs. Hettie Byrd were likely more interested in their health rather than presents and decorations (Daily Record Dec. 7, 1960).Harnett County Commissioners appointed Mrs. Mary Hough and Mrs. Ethel Stewart of Coats as tax list takers for Grove Township (Daily Record Dec. 8, 1960).Rev. F.W. Williams, 23, of Greenville, N.C. had been elected pastor of the McCoy’s Chapel Church near Coats. Baxter Lee and Dan Andrews were nominated to serve on the Upper Cape Fear Soil Conservation District. In the Coats area, little Gary, Tony, and Brent Beasley wrote Santa requesting bicycles, paint set, and pair of gloves, wagon and a gun with holster set (Daily Record Dec. 9, 1960).The Coats Bulldogs had won 3-0 over Lillington to a Harnett County record. Kenneth Ennis of Coats was top scorer (Daily Record Dec. 13, 1960). Who were the Bulldogs? The school team was called the Yellow Jackets. What was the mysterious sport and who else was on the team?Mrs. Minnie Capps and Mrs. Lenora Pollard were at Good Hope Hospital and Mrs. Ethel Ennis remained a patient at Betsy Johnson Hospital (Daily Record Dec. 14, 1960).Who remembers the old Stewart Hotel that was situated across from the Coats Museum until October of 1999 when it was brought down? From 1912 until 1938, Mrs. Mollie Stewart operated and lived in the two story, seven bedroom structure built in 1908 by Bennie F. Byrd. Mollie and Elmon Stewart’s youngest child, Dan E. Stewart, grew up there but in 1960, he was raised to the status of vice-president of Carolina Power Light Company. E. N. (Red) Pope had also received that distinction (Daily Record Dec. 14, 1960).A birth and several deaths made the December 19th Daily Record news. The former Audrey Suggs announced the birth of a son. She had married Franklin Shelton Barefoot. Mrs. Sallie Parrish had lost her brother, Frank Honeycutt, on Wednesday. Elsewhere in the VA Hospital in Fayetteville, James “Jim” Cobb, brother of Willis Cobb, Maylon Pollard, and Mrs. Roy Sears, had died. His first wife was Pauline Thornton, daughter of Willis and Anna Dixon Thornton of the Elevation (Daily Record Dec. 19, 1960).Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Westbrook (the former Dorothy Grimes) announced the birth and death of Allen Thomas. The maternal grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Delma Grimes (Daily Record Dec. 20, 1960).In 1946, twelve years of school were mandated for graduation from public schools. Coats had only two girls-Kathleen Stewart and Christine Tart – to qualify for a 12 year degree at Coats High School. Prior to that year, students had to only attend 11 years to get a diploma. There was also a time when school terms were varied from school to school. For example in 1913-14, Coats Grove #3 went from a three month school to an 8 month school term. The other six Grove schools were adamant about maintaining a three month term; however, in 1919, there was a mandate for a 6 month term for all 8 to 12 year olds. It was not until 1930 that that the eight month term was mandated and finally in 1940 the nine month term was mandated for all 14-16 year olds.How many years ago has that been? Why was there a need for shorter terms in rural areas? I do know that a ten month school term and a kindergarten were favored in 1960 (Daily Record Dec. 22, 1960). How long would it be before that kindergarten came into the public schools?We are having fun decorating the museum for Christmas and invite you to drop in to see our decorations (Sundays from 2 until 5 and on Thursdays from 9am until 3pm). While there, watch some of our many interviews given by WWII, Korean and Viet Nam Wars veterans. Bryan Avery’s DVD on Naval Stores will leave you with a different perspective on the pine tree. Watching some of the videos of making lye soap, biscuits and quilts will bring back memories for many.